Unlike insects, we desperately need our sleep. Sleep deprivation is a really big problem for some people. Insomnia can rob you of the peace and enjoyment that you have in your life. Getting a full nights rest is important for children and adults alike and helps us to grow and live to our fullest. Bedbugs, on the other hand, are pests that seek to rob us of a good nights rest. But in order to take care of these insects, we have to understand them. In this article let’s explore bedbugs, their lifecycle, where they come from and how to get rid of them.
BEDBUG HISTORY
Bedbugs have been plaguing man kind for as long as we have had history. The earliest recollections of bedbugs are on them painted on the walls of ancient caves that caveman slept in. Since then there are documents dating from the Sumerians, the Romans and the dark ages of Europe that all document bedbugs being a part of an ancient man’s life. Your Broken Arrow exterminator company will have more information.
Finding these bugs on cave paintings is very fitting. It’s believe that bedbugs are descendants of the bat bug. If you look at the bat bug and the bedbug side-by-side, they’re almost identical. Only an entomologist, or scientists of insects, can tell the difference. It’s believed that these bat bugs, that were feeding on the blood of bats in these caves, descended down the walls to the humans sleeping below. Some of them tasted the blood of humans and decided that it was the better meal. These insects became our modern day bedbug.
SIGNS OF BEDBUGS
If you think you’re dealing with bedbugs, there are some signs that could tell you what’s going on. Bed bugs are blood feeders. They have sucking mouth parts that they can be injected into us like a hypodermic needle and draw our blood out of us. Their saliva numbs the area so that we don’t even notice in most cases. Often a bedbug will bite, walk a little bit forward, bite again, walk a little further forward and then bite the last time. Because of this, often you will see these bites on your skin in a line.
When bedbugs bite a little bit of the blood escapes. This blood usually gets on the sheets. So if you’re seeing small red dots, this could be a sign of bedbugs. In addition to the red dots you will often see black dots. Those black dots are where the insect has defecated. These red and black dots can be a sure fire sign of a bedbug infestation. Call your Tulsa pest control company for more information.
If you remove all the sheets from your bed and inspect the mattress seams, you will often find these bedbugs hiding between the seams. Like many other insects, these bugs feel safety when they have pressure on the top in the bottom of their exoskeleton. Because of this they wedged themselves between these matches seems hiding until it’s time for it to come out and feed. You’ll also often find bedbug eggs in the same places. Bedbugs tend to gather in the same place so multiple bedbugs in one place is also common.
BEDBUG LIFECYCLE
The development of a bedbug follows the incomplete metamorphosis. Insects that use the incomplete metamorphosis start as an egg. When the eight hatches, a nymph will emerge from the egg. A nymph is essentially a smaller version of the adult reproductive insect. Once it hatches, it will need to feed in order to continue to grow. As it grows it will feed just before its first molt. The molting process is where it will shed its exoskeleton for a new one much like a snake sheds its skin. This process requires a lot of energy so the bedbug will see just before it does this. It will molt a total of five times before it becomes an adult each time having to feed in order to have the energy to go through the process.
After the fifth molt, the bedbug will be at full reproductive capacity. The male and females will pair up and they will meet. Bedbugs use a process called traumatic insemination in order to mate. There’s a dot on the exoskeleton of the female that the male tries to hit. He will break through the exoskeleton of the female in order to put his reproductive material into the female. Once this happens the female will seek to feed before she lays her eggs. In super heavy infestation‘s, the females will start to go up the walls and effort to get away from the males that are all trying to mate. So if you’re seeing bedbugs on the top of your ceilings or the top of the wall, you may have a very severe issue.
DEALING WITH BEDBUGS
So what do you do if you have a bedbug infestation? Many people will go to the hardware store and try to get an over-the-counter solution in order to fix the problem. This almost never works. Over-the-counter pesticides are almost always pyrethrums. Pyrethrums are a family of pesticides that I drive from pyrethrum which is a natural pesticide found in chrysanthemum flowers. This makes these pesticides very safe. It was used extensively against bedbugs in the 90s but unfortunately, because of overuse, bedbugs have grown immunity to this pesticide. The only comprehensive solution for bedbug infestation is to call your Broken Arrow pest control company.
If you’re having a problem with bedbugs or any other pests, then it’s time to call a Tulsa exterminator to help you take care of the issue. Here at TermMax Pest Control, we are the best in the business when it comes to bedbugs or any other pest issues. We service the greater Tulsa area including Coweta, Catoosa, Claremore, Broken Arrow, Prattville, Sapulpa, Sand Springs, Jenks, Bixby, Owasso, Turley and much more. Call today for a free estimate. We’re here to help!
